Lester i



L. P. BARLOW.

BOMB 0R TORPEDO. APPLICATION FILED AUG.30, me.

Patented Sept. 30, 1919.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY? "STATES PATENT OFFICE;

' lnnsmnn. r. BAnLowfon PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIenon '10 MARLIN- ROCKWEIEL CORPORATION, or NEW YORK, N. 1;, A conromnonor NEW YORK.

BOMB OR TORPEDO.

hfnwgeoag To all whom it maybe 010cm:

Be it known'that I, LESTER P. BARLOW, a

- citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bombs or Torpedoes, of which the following is a spex'iification. I

causing the explosion of the detonaton within the magazine chamber of the bomb at the proper moment.

' My invention is 1n some respects an improvement upon that disclosed. in my prior applicationNo. 92,093, filed April 19, 19-16,

detonatorfor a bomb, torpedo war head or the like. It may also be considered as in some respects an improvement upon the in vention disclosed in my application Serial No. 117,578, filed August 30, 1916, and en- ,titled Improvements in aerial mortars. My

application Serial No. 92,093 referred to descnbes a construction in' which a detonator is removably supported exterior to the body,

or the magazine chamber, of the bomb or torpedo, the detonator being guided into the magazine chamber afrter the bomb has been discharged or released, and exploded therein ator shortly after the time that thebody has I struck its mark. By supporting the detonator outside the explosive chamber until after the bomb has been released, or until the proper time for explosion, the danger of a I premature explosion of the bomb is largely avoided; the d'etonator being removed at a safe distance from the magazine sectionof the bomb it will .not be affected by blows imparted to, the bomb, or missiles penetrating the same or carelew handling thereof.

zInthe construction referred to, however, a hollow detonator is used which is at all timescontained within its guiding tube. Ac-1 cordingly,;-.-when the detonator 1s exploded the forceoftheexplosion must rupture the p y i :head, adapted. m te-exploded at, after the impactbfj h shell of the detonator-and the containing tubein which-it is movably mounted. Also the-products of the explosion are not-all ef- I fective' for exploding the high I explosive Application filed August so, 1916. serial NIL-117,579.

' certain embodiments bi"; H a the drawings Figure .L-represen 'tudinal section-oi a bomb or'f,

. Specification-of Letters Patent. Pate ted Sept. 30, 1919.

charge in the magazine chamber, since part of the force of the explosion of the detonaitor will be directed axially of the containing tube andtherefore be wasted. By my present invention the explosion of the detonator is' caused to take place within the magaaine chamber in the bomb at apoint atwhi'chz there is a gap in the tube in which the deto,-

nator slides. Also the detonator whicli I prefer to use with this construction is a solid cylindrical body carrying its explosikve charge in pockets or in a belt around its e- -r1 'he'ry, inalinement, with the gap or ga sinthe tube at the moment of explosion. T e

result of this construction is' that the'detona' tor bridgesthe gap at the 'momentof its ex l 'plosion"and,the"latter takes place entirely" outwardly in the surrounding high explosive magazine chamber surrounding the tube.

ments when exploded, so that it is not. dan

time.

'70.- of the magazine chamber, the solid body' of the detonator preventing anydissipation of the force/of the-explosion within the tube" axially of the same. Also the tube is made. sufiiciently strong, to resist "'coll-a1: ,se"'during v the explosion ofthe high explosive in the The arran enient may ibeisuch tha'ti'ithe' detonator, bridging the gap in the tube, is

balanced insuch position, the. possibility'of an'unbalancing force acting upon the deto- .nalt'or' axially of the tube being avoided.

invention are accord- The objects. of m ingly to providea' etonator of the character referred to and'a'constructionwithin a.

bomb or other explosive body adapted 130100:

act with the detonator in the manner scribed.

In order that my invention may-be more clearlyunderstood, attention, is. hereby dirooted to the accompanying; drawings-form: ing part of this .appligation and illustrating invention-f p i i m me, W1 the ob"- section Em Qf bomb-or other explosive body, in which the bomb proper is 'so mounted as to be expelled upwardly or I is charged with a high explosive as isusual in such cases, such, for example, as tri-nitro-toluene.

ing 2 which may be provided with vanes or wings 3 to aid in stabilizing the flight of the bomb.

An opening in the base of the shell is closed by a screw plug 4 having a. central opening therein through which extends the tube 5 which is secured in the plug 4: preferably by a screw-threaded engagement. The tube 5 extends upwardly through casing 2 and may be secured at its upper end within the upper terminal of casing 2. Tube 5 also extends downwardly below plug 4 a substantial distance into the magazine chamber 1 A second tube 5 is mounted in the lower end of the bomb as by means of the screw-threaded engagement shown at 6.

i This tube is in alinement with the upper a gap between the same.

tube 5, its upperend being close to but separated from the lower end of tube 5 to form A thin sleeve 7 of celluloid-'or'the like may be secured around the gap between tubes 5 and 5 to prevent the explosive in chamber 1* enterin the tube. An equivalent construction would consist in using a single continuous tube in place of the tubes 5 and 5' with a series of openings extending around the samein place of the continuous gap indicated in the drawing between tubes 5 and 5;

The thin sleeve 7 should, for the best results, be located substantially in alinement with the inner surfaces of tubes 5 and 5,

. so that an-air gap "will not be formed between the high explosive in chamber 1 and the detonator, when the latter bridges the gap between tubes 5 and 5, at the moment of the explosion of the detonating charge. Such an air space would act as an lnsulator, to weaken the force of the detonating wave, and should therefore be avoided.

The movable detonator 8 is normally held in the upper .end of tube 5 within casing Q,

. that is, at a'safe distance from the magazine chamber 1. Detonator 8 may be held in such a position by any means which will be releasable'when the forward end of the bomb strikes against an object to enable the detonator ,to slide down-the tube; I have illustrated the detonator as rovided with a friction washer 9 which wil hold the detonator in-its upper position by engaging fric- Extending from the base of the shell and secured thereto is the castionallythe inner wall of tube 5 until it is released therefrom by the impact of the bomb against an object struck.

The detonator comprises a solid cylindrical body 8 preferably of steel, carrying its detonating charge, such as fulrninate of mercury, in a series of shallow pockets 1O spaced about its eriphery midway of the height thereof. ne or more fuse-caps 11 in the lower end of the detonator are connected by a passage or passages 12 with the detonating substances in pockets 10. Preferably the detonator is provided with a screw-cap 13 having a sleeve portion 14:-

extending downwardly therefrom, fitting closely over the pockets 10 in the detonator, this sleeve portion 14 being of celluloid or other thin and readily breakable substance either as to its entire length or as to the portion thereof which extends around the pockets 10; The object of this provision is, of course, to hold the detonating material within pockets 10 after the same has been filled in place. i

It should also be noted that, as shown in the drawings, the body 8 of the detonator is made comparatively thick, with reference to the cross-sectionalarea of the detonating material in pockets 10. This is for the purpose of providing a structure which will not be shattered into fragments by the explosion of the detonating material. Not only is the body 8 given a suflicient transverse dimension between the detonating material on opposite sides to resist rupture, and form an efiicient plug for the cap between tubes 5 and 5, but the thickness of the steel in both directions from pockets 10, lengthwise of thedetonator, is suflicient to prevent breaking off of these sections by the explosion of the detonator. Also the screw-cap 13, if used, is so separated from pockets 10 that it is not liable to be blown off. The only part which may be broken into fragments is the thin sleeve 14 coveringpockets 10, and this is too slight to constitute any considerable element of danger. Accordingly it may be said that the detonator described is practically unshatterable, so that its accidental explosion ,at any time will not do any substantial damage.

The bomb is provided at its forwardend struck by the fuse cap 11, which is connected by suitable passa es with the detonator sections 10. In the orm of device illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, it will be noted that a. plurality of fuse-caps 11 are mounted on thelower face of the detonator, connected In the form illustrated in Fi 1 a single firing pin 16 is shown, adapte to be by passages with pockets 10, as shown, these fuse caps 11 striking against projectlons which are suitabl mounted within phial bore of the tube W en the detonator a 3 3: v

The firing pin or pins 16 are so positioned that whexLthe detonator falls it will be arrested with the. pockets 10 in alinement with the gap between tubes 5 and 5 The material in pockets 10 being exploded, the force of the explosion will be directed outwardly openings 17 "so that. the pressure on the under side of the detonator at the time of and after its explosion will be the same as the pressure in: the tube 5 above the detonator. Tubes 5 and 5 should be strongly and rigidly made,'-.-..preferably of steel of sufficient. thicknesslto resist collapsing under the pressure of the explosion of the material in the chamber 1*1' about the same.

My invention is illustrated in Fig. 2 as applied tea bomb or the like of a somewhat difierent'construction. This form is similar to that described and claimed in my application aerial motors, Serial No. 117,578 referred toabove. In this case the bomb 1 is mounted within the gun shell or outside tube 18, f 1 'om which it is adapted tobe expelled upwardly after the earth or a desired object has been struck. The breech block 19 is secured within the lower portion of shell 18, and a striking nose member 20 is slidab mounted in a recess in the lower end of b ock 19. Nose 20 is held'in place within block 19 by a thin copper tube 21 extendin" through a portion of nose piece 20 and t e surrounding portion of block 19. A cotter pin 22 is extended through tube 21 but is removed therefrom when the bombis dropped or launched. Upon the impact of strikin nose 20 the thin copper tube 21 is sheared and a firing pin 23 on member 20 strikes against a fuse-cap, indicated at 24:- as mounted in a chambered cylindrical member 25. Member 25 is fixedly secured within breach block 19by screw-threads 26. *When.

pin23 strikes against cap-24:, the products of theexplosion of the latterfipass outwardly through o nings 27 in member 25 into a chamber 2 which is filled with a bomb'expelling charge of ex losive, chamber 27 bein .formed in breec block 19. The explosion of the material in chamber 2'1 X strips the slight threaded connection .28 between bomb 1 and the breech block and drives the.

sired what I term a primary delay fuse may be mounted within member 25 and-be exploded by the.- concussion of pin' .23 against fuse-cap 24 after a delaysuflicient to enable the downward movement of the-entire device withinthe earth or'object struck to be entirely arrested, the explosion of this primary delay charge exploding the bomb expelling charge in chamber 27 v Bomb 1 is provided at its lower end with a screw-cap 29 through a central opening in which slidably extends a cylindrical portion 7 30 of a member having a circular base 31. Before the expulsion of the bomb, the base 31 rests on a suitable shoulder formed within the bore of the upper chamber in breech block 19,- the lower end of the bomb resting upon base 31. When the explosive in chamber 27 is exploded, base 31 rises out of shell 18 with the bomb resting thereon.

A tube 5 extends axially through bomb 1, the 'lower end of this tube being screwthreaded in or otherwise secured to the screw-plug 29. The tube extends upwardly through the upper wall 32 of the bomb in which it maybe screw-threaded, the tube extending for a further distance above wall 32.

Tube 5-is provided with a series of openings 33,therethrough at a oint within the magazine chamber 1 of t e bomb; or. in

tubes may be used with a ap between the same, as'indicated at 33, in t e same manner the upper end of tube 5- outside the closed magazine chamber of the bomb. The detonator is supported by means of a rod 34 which may be secure to the lower end of the detonator, as shown in Fig.3. This rod extends downwardly through tube 5 and is secured at its lower end as by screw-threads 35 within a central opening in the cylindrical member 30.

A flexible cable 36 issecured at one end to member 25 which, as stated, is immovably secured to the breech block 19 This cord may be wrapped around the periphery of member 25 and its'upper end is' secured to member 31. When the bomb -is expelled from the tube 18, it, together with member 31, will rise until cable 36 has become taut.

but the upward movement of member 31, together with rod- 341 and detonator 8 is arrested. Accordingly, tube 5 moves upwardly relatively to the detonator, which- 65. bomb upwardly out' of casing 18. 'EIf debelow gap 33. Thisres'ults'in the outward 1 place of this construction a pair of alined Thereafter the bomb will continue to rise,

explosion of the detonator into the burst- I ing charge contained in the magazine chamber 1 of the bomb, the pockets 10 of the detonator being alined with the gap or openings 33 in the tube in the same manner as already described.

It will be evident that my invention is not limited in its applicability to the two forms of bomb or torpedo which have been described, these constructions being merely illustrative of certain embodiments of the invention. i

The essential points of my invention, "it should be noted, are the provision of means whereby the force of the explosion of the detonator will all be directed efi'ectively into the high explosive in the magazine chamber, none being wasted through the guiding means for the detonator, or other opening; and the arrangement whereby the force of the explosion in the high explosive will all be effective to shatter the bomb, none being wasted through the said tube or other opening. These results are achieved with the use of a detonator which has no looking or securing devices therefor, which would introduce undesirable mechanical features. Accordingly the detonator is movably mounted in a guiding means therefor (such as a tube), this guiding means having a gap or openings therein; the detonator being arranged to operate only through the gap and to plug or close the gap, and to be balanced in such position at the time of its explosion. There is no other opening, be sides the gap thus closed, by which the products of the explosion in the high explosive may escape from the magazine chamber. Therefore the whole force of this explosion is eflec'tive to shatter the bomb. It should also be particularly noted that the tube or tubes in which the detonator moves should be made strong enough to resist collapse during the ex losion in the magazine chamber, which, 0 course, is intended to shatter the outer walls of the magazine chamber. It is, of course, immaterial whether or not the tubes bend or collapse after the shattering of the outer walls and the obtaining of a-perfect detonation. It is only necessary for the tubes to resist collapse until after the outer walls burst, thus causing the detonation in a perfectly confined space.

In detonating an explosive of the character of tri-nitro-toluene, the most perfect re sults are achieved by causing the detonation in a perfectly confined space. This is accomplished by my invention. If an avenue of escape were provided for the products of explosion of the detonator, through the tube or other opening (which is prevented by my invention), the entire mass 'of' tri-nitrotoluene or the like in the magazine chamber might not be completely exploded.

mately one inch at its narrowest point between op osite pockets.

The p rase tube having an opening therethrough, or the like, in the claims, should be understood to include a pair of alined tubes separated by a gap, 7 as described.

What I claim is 1. In a bomb, torpedo or the like explosive body, the combination of a casing having a closed chamber for a high explos ve, a tube extending into said chamber havin an opening therethrough within the cham er, a thin sleeve covering said opening, with its inner surface in substantial alinement with the inner surface of said tube, a detonator slidably mounted and closely fitting in said tube and adapted to slide down the same into line with said opening after the release or discharge of the bomb, and a device adapted to explode said detonator after the latter has advanced down the tube into line, with said opening, said .tube being sufficiently strong to resist collapse when the high explosive is exploded by the detonator through said opening, substantially as set forth.

2. In a bomb, torpedo or the like explosive body, the combination of a casing having a closed chamber for a high explosive, a tube extending into said chamber, having an opening therethrough within the chamber, and a portion extending outside the chamber, a .detonator slid-ably mounted in said tube and; adapted to be retained in the portion thereof exterior to said chamber prior to the release or dischar e of the bomb, and a device in said tube lhelow said opening adapted to explode said detonator after the latter has advanced down the tube into line with said opening, the portion of said tube within said chamber presenting closed resisting walls to said chamber at all points other than said opening of a strengthv sufficient to prevent collapse of the same at the time of the explosion of said detonator through said opening, substantially as set forth.

3. In a bomb, torpedo or the like explosive body, the combination of a casing having a closed chamberfor a high explosive, a tube extending into said chamber, having an opening therethrough within the chamber and a portion extending outside the chamber, a detonator movably mounted in said tube and comprising a solid cylindrical body carrying the detonating material ina pocket formed on ts periphery, said detonator also having means at its lower end adapted to explode said detonating material when brought into sharp contact with ahard surface, and a device in said tube below said opening, adapted to arrest the detonator and contact said means to explode said detonating material, when the detonator has advanced down the tube into position to a'line the said detonating material with said opening, substantially set forth.

4. In a bomb, the combinal ion of a casing having a chamber for a high explosive, a tube extending through said chamber, having an opening therethrough around the periphery thereof, within the mass of explosive,- a detonator mounted in said tube, comprising a solid body carrying the detonating material in a pocket formed on its periphery, and means within said tube for exploding the detonating material by con-' cussion when said material is in alinement with said opening, with the solid body of the detonator extending in both directions from the opening, within the tube, substantially as set forth.

' 5. A detonator for bomb, torpedo or the like explosive body, comprising a solid body carrying the detonating material in a pocket formed on its periphery, substantially as set forth.

6. A detonator for a bomb. torpedo or the like explosive body. comprising a solid elongated body. adapted to be slidably mounted in a tubelike member, the detonator carrying the detonating material in a pocket formed on its periphery intermediate its ends, and carrying a fuse-cap at one end, connected with said dctonating material by a passageway, substantially as set forth.

7. In a bomb. torpedo or the like explosive body, the combination of a casing contain ing a closed chamber for a high explosive,

' a tube extending into said chamber from the upper end, the lower end of said tube being secured in the lower end of the casing, the latter having an axial o ening therethrough in alinement with the ore of said tube, a member having a flange adapted to seat against the lower end of the casing, and a cylindrical portion adapted to slidably enter the opening therein, a detonator slidably mounted in said tube, a supporting rod carrying the same, having its lower end mounted in said cylindrical portion, said detonator being thus supported in the portion of said tube exterior to said chamber when said cylindrical portion is seated in said opening, and a firing pin in said tube. within said chamber. adapted to explode said detonator when relative movement is caused between said tube and detonator to cause contact between the pin and detonator, substantially as set forth.

8. In a bomb, torpedo or the like body, the combination of a casing having a closed chamber for a. high explosive, a guiding means for a detonator having a gap therein within the chamber, a detonator movably mounted in said guiding means, and adapted to bridge said gap, and means for exploding the detonator outwardly through said gap into the high explosive when the detonator bridges said gap, said detonator being constructed to explode through said gap only, and to plug said gap when bridging the same, against inward passage through said gap of the products of explosion in said high explosive; and said guiding means presenting closed resisting walls to said chamber at all points other than said gap, substantially as set forth.

9. A detonator for a bomb, torpedo or the like explosive body, comprising a metallic body carrying the detonating material in a pocket formed on its periphery, the proportions of said metallic body being so chosen with relation to the dimensions of said pocket, that explosion of fulminate of mercury or detonating material of like power in said pocket will not shatter said metallic body, said pocket being surrounded on all sides but the outer by continuous integral portions of said metallic body, substantially as set forth.

1! b. In a bomb, the combination of a casing ha ring a chamber for a high explosive, a tube extending through said chamber, having an opening therethrough around the periph ry thereof. within the mass of explosive. a detonator mounted in said tube, comprising a metallic body carrying the detonating material in a pocket formed intermediate' its ends, with metal of substantial depth on both sides of said pocket, axially of the body, said tube being of a strength sufficient to prevent collapse of the same when said high explosive is exploded by said detonating material through said opening, and means for exploding the detona'ting material by concussion when said material is in alinement with said opening, with the metal of said detonator extending in both directions from the opening, within. the tube, said detonator being constructed to plug said opening, when extending across the same, and to explode outwardly only, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 2301 day of August, 1916.

LESTER P. BARLOW.

Witnesses DYER SMITH, M. S. GANG. 

